An access point (AP) or a wireless access point is a device that allows wireless devices (e.g., personal computers, notebooks or mobile smart phones) to connect to a network using Wi-Fi, or related standards. An access point may be a transceiver that transmits/receives data and connects users to other users within the network, and also can serve as the point of interconnection between the WLAN and a fixed wire network. However, considering the convenience for using, a lightweight design has been an important factor in the development of the portable wireless access point.
Nowadays, with the development of wireless technology, more and more public venues have wireless data network system for providing Wi-Fi access. In general, the wireless data network is provided by a wireless base station, and each user can connect to the wireless base station via their portable electronic devices within the signal coverage area thereof. The wireless data network can be a mobile data network or a wireless local area network (WLAN). Since each portable electronic device can severally communicate with the wireless network base station, as the number of electronic device trying to attach to the same base station increases, all of the data transmission therebetween and the resulting lower signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) may lead to wireless network congestion when the users are within a densely crowded space or other public venues. Therefore, to ensure quality of service, the number of attached electronic devices allowed is often limited.
Although the network congestion mentioned above can be improved by additional access points or hotspots (each access point can serve multiple users within a defined network area), these stationary access devices may increase the cost of wireless data networks due to the stationary access devices are often in idle state. Accordingly, how to develop a portable electronic access device and a wireless data network system capable of relieving wireless network congestion is the primary topic in this field.